ONDO PDP WRITES INEC CHAIRMAN YAKUBU TOWARDS ACHIEVING A CREDIBLE ELECTION
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ONDO PDP WRITES INEC CHAIRMAN YAKUBU TOWARDS ACHIEVING A CREDIBLE ELECTION
Open Letter To INEC Chairman, Alhaji Mahmood Yakubu
The Peoples Democratic Party,
Oba- Ile Rd, Alagbaka, Akure,
Ondo State.
18-10-2024
Dear Mr Chairman,
The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo state, writes this open letter to you, on behalf of the peace loving people of our dear state.
For the umpteenth time, we are calling on you, to as a matter of urgency, replace the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Toyin Babalola, appointed and posted to Ondo state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under your commission, with a non partisan official with no previous association with the state.
We also counsel that you view this request with the seriousness and urgency it requires for the preservation of the nation’s very fragile democracy and the restoration of your Commission’s integrity.
It has become expedient, that you act positively on the content of this letter, following a statement credited to your Commission on Tuesday, in direct reaction to the call of the Oyo state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, that the Ondo REC should be replaced.
He also mentioned that the PDP will continue to protest until the request is met , that also, should not be taken as an empty threat.
Let it be on record, that Governor Seyi Makinde’s call on Tuesday, was not the first time the party made the request.
It had earlier been mentioned to you in a previous letter to your office, that your Ondo State Commissioner is not fit to supervise the gubernatorial election fixed for November 16, for a reason of compromise, as the REC is found out to be a resident of the state, even with her family also, as established residents in Ondo State.
Quite unfortunately however, a statement credited to you on Tuesday, said the REC would not be removed because she is not from the state, even though you refused to mention her state of origin.
Dear Chairman, it is obvious that your commission’s information section did not do a diligent check before your commission made that unfortunate statement, which gives the impression, that INEC care less, should the issue leads to the avoidable mayhem, which any act of unfairness in the coming election my cause.
A diligent check on the background of the REC would have revealed to you that, not only did she grew up in Ondo state, she also currently lives in her parents house at No 3, Majekodunmi street, Ijoka Area in
Akure, the Ondo state capital.
Even if she was not of Ondo state origin, the constitution of Nigeria makes anyone who had lived in a particular place for a period of ten years an automatic indigene.
Moreover, apart from being a member of the Ondo state Community, which disqualifies her from the Ondo REC job, going by the rule of engagement of your Commission, it has also been established that, the REC has been holding nocturnal meetings with Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa , the governor of the state and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the same election.
The above have put to question, the REC’s neutrality in the coming election, where the umpire is expected to be absolutely unbiased and non partisan.
The integrity of your Commission became more questionable, following the controversial election held in Edo state recently.
You may wish to know also, that the Edo state development, has charged up the atmosphere in Ondo state ahead of the November 16 election. Hence, the rational thing to do as an unbiased umpire, would have been to use the Ondo election, as opportunity to regain the Commission’s integrity.
Replacing the Ondo REC should not be a change too difficult for you to effect , if you were sincere and intentional about restoring the faith of the democracy loving Nigerians in your Commission.
At this juncture, we would like to plead with you, to use the authority of your exalted office, to prevent whatever could lead to anarchy and major threat, capable of derailing the country’s democracy, by handling the Ondo election in the most professional way, devoid of trace of preferential treatment of any kind.
The first available opportunity to do this, is to conduct a credible, fair and near perfect, if not perfect election in Ondo state in November.
To achieve this , is to come clean with a transparent preparation ahead of the election. The first step to demonstrate this, is to remove Mrs Toyin Babalola as the REC in Ondo State and replace her with a non partisan REC, who will establish the confidence of Ondo people in the election,even before it is held, as your Commission ‘s transparency and neutrality would have been very obvious.
May we reiterate once again, that Mrs Toyin Babalola, Ondo REC, is not by any inch qualified to be an umpire in the coming Gubernatorial election in the State . For the sake of emphasis, Mrs Babalola who presently resides at No 3, Majekodunmi street, Ijoka Area in Akure with her parents and siblings, has been a resident in Ondo state for more than three decades.
It’s important to let you know as well, that she had all her education in Ondo State and has been hobnobbing with the APC government and Gov Lucky Aiyedatiwa in particular .
Looking forward to your sincere and democracy deepening consideration.
Thank you
E Signed
OLUSEYE OLUJIMI, ESQ
PDP ONDO STATE SECRETARY.
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